Buffing mechanism for cars.



A. C. DAVIDSON. BUFFING MECHANISM FOR CARS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB-27.1913.

Patented Apr, 22,1919.

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

A. c. DAVIDSON. BUFFING MECHANISM FOR CARS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB- Zh 1913- Patented Apr. 22,1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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UNTTEI) STATES PATENT @FFTFE. ARTHUR C. DAVIDSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,IASSIG'NOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO WAUGI-I DRAFT GEAR- GOMPANY, ACORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

BUFFING MECHANISM FOR CARS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 22, 1919.

Application filed February 27, 1913. Serial No. 750,961.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, .ARTHURC. DAvmsoN, a. citizen. of the United.States, residing at Chicago, in the. county of Cook and State ofIllinois, have invented certain new and useful'Iniprovements 1n BuffingMechanism for Cars, of which the. following is a specification.

This invention relates to strain resisting mechanism for railway carsand the like and'has for-its object the provision of an improvedarrangement for absorbing bufling and other strains and cushioning thecars against violent and injurious shocks. More specifically theinvention aims to produce a buffing device whereinin an improved mannera graduated resistance is effected and in which the extent ofcompression which can be imparted to the spring resistance elements islimited so as to prevent injury thereto from going solid or becomingset. The invention further provides for improved gearsupporting andguiding means and gear-retaining means to prevent displacement of theelements while at the" same time affording means for their readyassembling. A

further object ofthe invention is the provision of means whereby toincrease the angular flexibility of the buffer to maintain the opposedfaces of the buffers carried by adjacent cars in contact when roundingsharp curves.

Other objects and advantages of the in? vention will be apparent fromthe accom panying drawing and the detailed description based thereonwherein is set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention. Obviouslythe invention is capable of embodiment in other and variedconstructional forms, wherefore the drawing and description is to beconstrued in an illustrative and not in an unnecessarily limiting sense.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a skeleton cast steel platform embodyingthe invention, certain portions being shown in horizontal section;

Fig. 2 is a'vertical longitudinal section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig.1;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a similar section on the line ie-4L of Fig. 1; i

Fig. is a fragmentary sectional detail showing therelation ofthe gearsupporting and guiding members and wear plate in their relation to thespring disks; and

Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view showing one of the members of theinterlocking follower;

Fig. 7 is a top plan view of a composite platform frame embodying theinvention;

Fig. 8 is a vertical longitudinal section taken-on the line 88 of Fig.7;

Fig. 9 is a transverse section on the line 9-9 of Fig. .7 g and Fig. 10is a similar section on theline 10 10 of Fig. 7 with slightmodifications as to details.

In Figs. 1-6 of the drawings the invention is illustrated as embodied ina cast steel platform construction integral with the car underframe endsill and it is in this connection that the invention will be firstdescribed, although it is to be understood that the invention is capableof ei'nbodiment with the underframe structure of cars having noplatforms and with composite or built-up platform frames asdistinguished from an integral skeleton structure.

Herein the reference numeral 11 desig nates the end sill of a cast steelcar underframe of the type now in general use, and formed integral withand projecting forwardly therefrom is a skeleton platform frame composedof a series of vertically disposed longitudinally eXtending web members12. Spaced apart from and .in substantially parallel relation to the endsill, and formed integral with and fixed rigidly to the forward end ofsaid longitudinal web members is a buffer beam 13 ofthe usualconstruction. Located upon the central portion of the buffer beamis athreshold plate 14: while in front of the buffer beam 13 is positioned abuffer 15, provided on top with a horizontal plate 16 adapted to slidebeneath the threshold plate 14. The buffer 15 is carried by the forwardends of a pair of side buffer stems 17, 17, pivoted to said buffer at18, 18, and

the central portion of the buffer bears against the forward end of acenter buffer stem 1.9, all of these stems being arranged to slidefreelythrough alined openings 20 and 21 formed in the front and rear walls ofthe buffer beam 13. In line with the axis of the car and in'the spacebetween two adjacent webs 12 which occupy such central position ismounted the buffing gear. These two web members ex tend from an integralconnection with the end sill at 22 to a substantially integralconnection with the buffer beam at23. Although parallel and practicallystraight, these members are shown as having a slight offset at 24, 24which defines the dividing line between the forward portion 12 and therear portion 12", the former being entirely open and the latter of asolid structure cored out to provide a pair of pockets 25, 25 eachadapted to accommodate a pair of coiled concentrically arranged gearsprings26 and 27. The two springs are of dissimilar length and strength,the outer spring 26 being longer and of less resistance than the innerspring 27.

The forward portions 12 of the web members 12 are provided below withinwardly projecting gear-supporting flanges 28 and upon their innerwalls with inwardly projecting gear-guiding or bearing ribs 29, andabove for a portion of the length with inwardly projectinggear-retaining flanges 30.

Upon the flanges 28 is supported a rear follower 31 having a concavefront face and a flat rear face, the latter bearing against the forwardends of the springs 26. Immediately in front of the follower 31 andbearing against its concave front face and supported by the flanges 28is a series of fiat spring plates 32, and immediately in front of thespring plates 32 is a front follower 33 having a convex rear facebearing against the flat plate springs and provided in its front facewith a recess adapted to receive the inner end of the center buflingstem 19.

A wear plate 34 may be advantageously inserted between the spring plates32 and-the supporting flanges 28, and bearing flanges 29, the functionsof the parts and their operation being the same in either case.

The front follower may also be advantageously formed of interlockingmembers 35 and 36 in order to facilitate the assen'ibling of the partsof the gear. The follower member 35 is provided in its front face with arecess 37 and on each side thereof with a beveled portion 38, while thefollower member 36 which has a width corresponding to the distancebetween the beveled portions of the member 35 has upon its rear face aprojection 39 adapted to enter the recess 37 and upon its front face arecess 40 adapted to receive and accommodate the rear end of the centerbuffing stem 19.

The gear-retaining flanges 30, it will be observed, extend but a portionof the distance from the cored housing 12 toward the front end of theopen housing 12, and immediately in front of the end of the flanges 30is arranged a gear-retaining cover plate 41 which is removably securedin place by the screws 42.

Extending laterally from and connecting the longitudinal web members 12are integral transverse web members 43 and 44. The

transverse web members 43 are provided with apertures 45 in longitudinalalineinent with the apertures 210f the butfing beam. Vithin each of theapertures 45 is mounted a sleeve 46 having at its forward end a flange47 which bears against the front face of the web 43 while the body ofthe sleeve itself extends for aconsiderable distance to the rear of theflange 43. The side stem 17 extends through the sleeve 46 and hasthreaded upon its rear end a nut 48 which is advantageously fixed inadjusted position by a cotter pin 49, while the coil spring 50 ismounted upon the side stem 17 so as to bear rearwardly upon the flange47 of the sleeve 46 and forwardly upon the washer 51 which bears in turntoward the front against a shoulder 52 formed on the side stem and alsoagainst the rear face of the buffer beam.

By the arrangement of the resistance mechanism applied to the centerstem and side stems of the buffer the said bufl'er previous to couplingis maintained under spring pressure in a forward position slightly in adVance of the coupling line, this pressure being exerted through thecenter stem by the initial compression of the springs 26 and through theside stems by the initial compression of the springs 50 bearing to therear on the flange 47 and to the front on the washer 51 and the shoulder52. \Vhen coupled the buffer is displaced to the rear, the side stemnuts 48 also traveling to the rear away from the sleeve 46, and thefollowers 31 and 33, and plates 32 traveling bodily to the rear upon thesupporting flanges 28 and between the bearing ribs 29 until the follower31 contacts with the springs 27 and places the latter under slightcompression. Any subsequent bufiing strains serve to move both the sidestems and center stem farther to the rear and such additional strainsare first absorbed by the resistance of the spring 27 added to that ofthe spring 26 until the rear ace of the follower 31 contacts with thefront portion of the cored housing 12 which arrests its rearwardmovement and thereafter the buffing strain is sustained by the highresistance plates 32.

When rounding short curves the rearward pressure upon that end of thebuffer at the inside of the curve pushes its side stem to the rearturning the buffer upon the center stem as a pivot and throwing theopposite end of the buffer farther to the front than its normalposition. Under such circumstances the sleeve 46 yields to the forwardpull of the nut 48 on the side stem and travels bodily toward the frontuntil the nut itself'engages the rear face of the web 43 thus permittinga wide range of, angular moven'ient GIT-the part of the buffer.

gear the springs 26 and 27 are first inserted iii) from the front intothe pockets 25, the rear follower 31 is dropped into the forward housingthrough the space to the front of the gear-retaining flanges 30 andmoved backward into contact with the springs. The spring plates'32 arethen inserted one at a time in a similar manner and then the frontfollower membe 35 is dropped into place. At this time the spring membersof the buffing gear are not under compression and the rearmost plates 32are in a position to the front of the front end of the retaining flange30. In order to place the springs under initial compression and to forceall of the plates 32 far enough to the rear so as to be beneath theretaining flanges 30 suitable wedging devices are employed coacting onthe one hand with the beveled faces 38 of the follower member 33 and onthe other hand with the rear face of the buffer beam whereby to wedgethe followers and spring plates to the rear and place the spring 26under compression. While the wedges re main in position the followermember 36' is dropped into place in front of the follower member 35 andthe wedges are then removed permitting the member 35 to spring forwardand the projection 39 to enter the recess 37 The center stem 19 thenengages within the recess 40 and the interlocked follower members 35 and36 are positioned against upward displacement. The removable retainingplate ll is then secured in position and the entire buffing gear issafely housed against displacement. v

In that form of the construction shown more in detail in Figs. 7 to 9inclusive the referencenumeral 61 designates the forward portion of thecenter sills of a car while 62 indicates a transverse sill or end sill.as the case may be, forming a part of the car underframe. The bufferbeam 63 is mounted on the forward end of the center sills which latterform the longitudinal members of a housing to accommodate therebetweenthe bufiing gear. The. composite or built-up structure here shown isessentially the same so far as the present generic invention isconcerned as the integral skeleton structure previously shown anddescribed. Upon the inner walls of the center sills'6l are fixedlyecured by bolts or rivets 64 a pair of reinforcing web members 65, 65each of which has upon its lower edge an inwardly projecting integralgear supporting flange 66 and along its upper edge an inwardlyprojecting gear retaining flange 67, while between its upper and loweredges it is provided with an inwardly projecting bearing orguiding rib68.

The rear portion of the space within the housing betweenthe webs -65 is.as in the construction previously described. cored out to form pocketsfor the interior and exterior springs 69and 70, the front wall 71 of thepocket structure serving as a rear abutment or stop for the rearfollower 72 which bears normally upon the front end of the springs 70.In front f the follower 72 in contact with its concave face and belowthe retainingfianges 67 is disposed upon the supporting flanges 66 aeries of spring plates 73 andin front of the spring plates and bearingthereon is the interlocking follower 74:. As in the former case theflanges 67 do not extend forwardly above the front follower 74 but arecut away and their function is performed by a transverse retaining plate7 5 secured to the upper edge of the center sills 61 and provided on itslower face with downwardly projecting ribs 76 which bear upon the upperedge of the front follower and the forward members of the spring plates.

Upon the outer faces of the center sills 1 are mounted a pair ofbrackets 77 horizontally apertured to serve as a rear bearing supportfor side stems 78 which are slidably supported within alined apertures79 of the buffer beam 63 and which are pivoted at 80 to the buffer 81which latter rest in its central portion against the front end of thecenter stem 82 guided within apertures 83 and S4 f the buffer beam withits rear end seated in the recess 85 of the duplex interlocking follower74*.

In Fig. 10 I have shown a slight modification in which the webs areintegral with the sills and in which the gear retaining flanges insteadof being formed integral with the longitudinal webs 65 are formed asseparate members 86 and secured to the sill 61 by means of rivets orbolts 87 which also serve together with the bolts 88 to hold the bracket77 in place. In this form, the gear supporting flanges 89 and the gearguiding ribs 90 are formed integral with the longitudinal sills. 'I havealso in Fig. 10 shown the employment of a wear plate 91 between thelower edges of the spring plates 73 and the supporting flanges 89.

As in the former construction the side stems 78 are equipped withsprings 92 which 1 and bearing ribs, substantially as described.

In a buffing mechanism, the combination of a car underframe, a bufferbeam, a

pair of longitudinally extending spaced members having fixed relation tothe underframe, said members having integral inwardly projectinggear-supporting flanges and bearing ribs, the latter arrangedintermediate the top and bottom 011 the inner faces of said members,substantially as described.

3. In a buffing mechanism, the combination of a car underframe, a bufferbeam and a pair of longitudinally extending parallel spaced membersarranged in fixed relation to said underframe, said members havinginwardly projecting gear-supporting flanges and bearing ribs, and aspring housing between the ends of said members, substantially asdescribed.

4:. In a bufling mechanism, the combination of a car underframe, abufier beam and a pair of longitudinally extending parallel spacedmembers arranged in fixed relation to said underframe, said membershaving in wardly projecting gear-supporting flanges and bearing ribs,and a wear plate for the gear bearing on the upper face of the flangesand the inner faces of the ribs, substantially as described.

5. In a buffing machanism, the combination of a car underframe end sill,a composite. frame associated therewith and including a buffer beam anda pair of longitudinally extending spaced web. members, said membershaving along their lower edges inwardly projecting gear-supportingflanges and along their inner faces intermediate the top and bottomthereof gear-bearing ribs, substantially as described.

6. In a buffing mechanism, the combination of a car underframe end sill,a composite frame associated therewith and including a buffer beam and apair of longitudinally extending spaced web members,- said membershaving, along their lower edges integral inwardly rojectinggear-supporting flanges and along their inner faces intermediate the topand bottom thereof integral gear-bearing ribs, and a spring housingbetween the ends of said members, substantially as described.

7. In a buffing mechanism, the combination of a car underframe end sill,a composite platform frame associated therewith and including a bufferbeam and a pair of longitudinally extending spaced web members, saidmembers having along their lower edges integral inwardly projectinggiearsupporting flanges and along their inner faces intermediate the topand bottom thereof integral gear-bearing ribs, and a wear plate for thegear bearing on the upper face of the flanges and the inner faces of theribs, substantially as described.

8. In a buffing mechanism, the combination of a car underframe, a bufferbeam, and a pair of longitudinally extending spaced web membersarranged, to the rear. .ofcthe buffer beam, said members havingalongtheir lower edges inwardly projecting gearsupporting flanges, and alongtheir upper edges inwardly projecting gear-retaining flanges, andbetween their lower and, upper edges inwardly rojecting bearing ribs,substantially as described.

9. In a buffing mechanism,- the combination of a car underframe, abufl'erbeamfand a pair of longitudinally extending spaced webmembersarranged to the rear of the buffer beam, said members havingalong their lower edges in their forward portion integral inwardlyprojecting gear-supporting flanges and along their upper edges in theirmedial portion integral inwardly projecting gear-retaining flanges, andalong their forward portion between their 'lo wer and upper edgesinwardly projecting integral bearing ribs, and a removable gearretainingplate disposed uponthe members forward of the gear-retaining flanges,substantially "as described. I r I j 10. In a bufiingmechanism, thecombination of a car underframe, a buffer beam, a. pair oflongitudinally extending spaced web members arranged to the rear of thebuffer beam, said members having along their lower edges in theirforward portion integral inwardly projecting gear-supporting flanges andalong their upper edges in their medial portion integral inwardlyprojecting gear-retaining flanges, and along their forward portionbetween their lower and upper ed es-inwardly projectingintegral bearingri. s, and a removable gear-retaining plate disposed upon the membersforward of the gear-retaining flanges, and a spring housing integralwith and between the rear ends of the members, substantially -as'described.

11. In a bufiing mechanism, the combination of a supporting frameincluding longitudinal spaced members, brackets projected laterallytherefrom, a buffer beam, a buffing gear, a bufler, a centerstemconnecting the buffer and ear, and side stems connected with the bufierand guided for longitudinal movement in alined apertures of the beam andbrackets, a flanged sleeve mounted on each of the side stems and guidedwithin one of the apertures with its flange bearing upon the front faceof the bracket, and a compression spring on the side stem between theflanged sleeve and the rear wallof the beam, substantially as described.

12. In a buffing mechanism, the combination of a supportingframeincluding longitudinal spaced members, brackets projected laterallytherefrom, a buffer beam, a buffing gear, and side stems connected withthe buffer and guided for longitudinal move-V ment in alined aperturesof the beamrand brackets, a flanged sleeve mounted on'the free end ofeach of the side stems and guided within the aperture of the bracketwith its flange bearing against the forward face of said bracket and itsrear end projecting beyond the rear face, and a spring on the side stembetween the bracket and beam and bearing to the rear on the flangedsleeve and to the front upon a shoulder of the stem and the rear face ofthe beam, and a stop on the free end of the stem and bearingon the rearend of the sleeve, substantially as described.

13. In a bufling mechanism, the combination of a supporting frameincluding longitudinal spaced members, brackets projected laterallytherefrom, a buffer beam, a bufling gear, a center stem connecting thebuffer and gear, and side stems connected with the buffer and guided forlongitudinal .mndvement in alined apertures of the bracket and beam, aflanged sleeve mounted on the free end of each of the side stems andguided within the aperture of the bracket with its flange bearingagainst the forward face of said bracket and its rear end projectingbeyond the rear face, and a spring on the side stem between the bracketand beam and bearing to the rear on the flanged sleeve and to the frontupon a shoulderof the stem and the rear face of the beam, and a nutthread ed on the free end of the side stem and adapted to engage therear end of the sleeve, substantially as described.

14:. In a bufling mechanism, the combination of a car underframe endsill, a composite platform frame associated therewith and including abufler beam and longitudinal Web members with laterally projectingbrackets, buffingi mechanism mounted be tween the longitudinal webmembers, a buffer, a center stem connected with the gear and the buffer,side stems connected to the buffer and guidedwithin alined apertures ofthe brackets and beam, a flanged sleeve mounted on the free end of eachside stem andguided within the aperture of the rear bracket with itsflange bearing on the front facethereof and its rear endextending beyondthe rear face, a shoulder formed on the stem, a washer bearing upon theshoulder and upon the rearface of the beam, a spring on the stem andbearing to the rear upon the flange of the sleeve and to the front uponthe washer, and a stop carried by the free end of the side stem andadapted to engage the rear edge of the sleeve, substantially asdescribed. a

15. In a bufling mechanism, the combination of a car underframe endsill, a platform frame associated therewith and including longitudinaland transverse web members, a

pair of the adjacent longitudinal web members having along their loweredgesfinwardly projecting gear supporting flanges, and upon their innerfaces gear-bearing ribs, buffing gear mounted within the space betweensaid longitudinal members upon the supporting flanges and between thebearing ribs, a buffer, a center stem connected with the gear and thebuffer, side stems connected to the buffer and guided within alined apertures of the transverse webs, a flanged sleeve mounted on the free endof each side stem and guided within the aperture of the rear transverseweb with its flange bearing on the front face thereof and its rear endextending beyond the rear face, a shoulder formed on the stem, a washerbearing upon the shoulder and upon the rear face of the forward web, aspring on the stem and bearing to the rear upon the flange of the sleeveand to the front upon the washer, and a stop carried by the free end ofthe side stem and adapted to engage the rear edge of the sleeve,substantially as described.

16. In a buffing mechanism, the combina' tion of a car underframe endsill, a platform frame associated therewith and including longitudinaland transverse web members, a pair of the adjacent longitudinal webmembers having along their lower edges in wardly projecting gearsupporting flanges, and upon their inner faces gear-bearing ribs, andalong their upper faces inwardly projecting gear-retaining flanges,bufling gear mounted within the space between said longitudinal membersbeneath the gear-retaining flanges upon the supporting flanges andbetween t-he bearing ribs, a buffer, a center stem connected with thegear and the buffer, side stems connected to the buffer and guidedwithin alined apertures of a pair of transverse webs, a flanged sleevemounted on the free end of each side stem and guided within the apertureof the rear web with its flange bearing on the forward face thereof, ashouL der formed on the side stem, a washer bearing on the shoulder andupon the rear face of the forward transverse member, a spring on thestem and bearing to the rear upon the flange of the sleeve and to thefront upon the washer, and a nut on the end of the side stem and adaptedto engage the rear end of the sleeve, substantially as described.

17. In a buffing mechanism, the combination of a supporting framecomprising longitudinal members, certain of the members having alongtheir forward lower portion inwardly projecting gear-supporting flangesand along their medial upper portion inwardly projecting gear-retainingflanges, the retaining flanges terminating short of the space betweenone end of the members, and gear housing between the other ends of themembers, coil springs disposed between the members in the housing, afollower and a series of springs resting on the supporting flangesbeneath the retaining flanges, and a second follower resting upon thesupporting flanges and in advance of the ends of the retaining flanges,a removable retaining plate overlying the second follower, a buffer, anda buffer stem disposed between the bufferand the second follower,substantially as described. 1

18. In a bufling mechanism, the combination of a supporting framecomprising lon gitudinal members, certain of the longitudinal membershaving along their forward portion inwardly projecting gear-supportingflanges and along their medial upper portion inwardly projectinggear-retaining flanges, the retaining flanges terminating short of theforward ends of the members, a gear housing betweenthe rear ends of thememcoil springs disposed between the memhere in the housing, a rearfollower, and a series of spring plates resting on the supportingflanges beneath the retaining flanges, and a front follower resting uponthe supporting flanges in advance of the ends of the retaining flanges,a removable retaining plate overlyingthe front follower, a buffer, and abufler stem disposed between the buffer and the front follower,substantially as described.

19. In a bufling mechanism, the combination of a supporting framecomprising longitudinal members, certain of the longitudinal membershaving along their forward portion inwardly projecting gear-supportingflanges and along their medial upper por tion inwardly projecting gearretaining -flanges, the retaining flanges terminating short of theforward ends of the members, a gear housing between the rear ends of themembers, coil springs disposed between the members in the housing, arear follower, and a series of spring plates resting on the supportingflanges beneath the retaining flanges, and a front follower resting uponthe supporting flanges in advance of the ends of the retaining flanges,a removable retaining plate overlying the front follower, a buffer, anda buffer stem disposed between the buffer and the front follower, thefront follower comprising two interlocking mem bers, one follower memberprovided with means to place the springs under initial tensionpreparatory to the introduction of the other follower member,substantially as described.

"20. In a bufling mechanism, the combination of a supporting framecomprising 1ongitudinal members, certain of the longitudinal membershaving along their forward portion inwardly projecting gear-supportingflanges and along their medial upper portion inwardly projectinggear-retaining flanges, the retaining flanges terminating short of theforward ends of the members, a gear housing between the rear ends of themembers, coil springs disposed between the members in thehousing, a rearfollower, and a series of spring plates resting on the sup portingflanges beneath the retaining flanges,

and a front follower resting upon the supporting flanges in advance ofthe ends of the retainin flan es a removable retalnin plate overlyingthe front follower, a buffer,'

and a buffer stem disposed between the buffer and the front follower,the front follower COD'IPI'lSlDg two interlocking members, one having arear bearing facefor engagement with the spring provided with a recessand withbeveled per-- tions adjacent thereto adapted to be engaged by awedge member to place the springs under initlal tension, and the otherfollower member having on its rear face a projection' for engagementwlthln the recess and on Its recess to accommodate the end front face aof the center stem, substantially as described.

21. In a bufling mechanism, the combina tion of a supporting framecomprising lon gltudinal and transverse web'members, certain of thelongitudinal members having along their forward lower portion inwardlyjpro ecting gearsupporting flanges and along their medial upper portioninwardly projecting gear-retaining flanges, the retaining flangesterminating short of the forward ends of the members, a gear housingbetween the rear ends of the members, coil springs disposed between themembers plates resting on the supporting flanges beneath the retainingflanges, and a front follower resting upon the supporting flangesadvance of the ends of the retainingflanges,

a removable retaining plate overlging the plates and a frontface in thehous-f s, it real follower, and a ser1es of spring der and on the rearface of the front transverse web member, a spring on the side stem andbearing rearwardly upon the flange of thesleeve and forwardl upon thewasher,

and a stop carried by the free end of the side stem and adapted toengage with the rear end of the sleeve, substantially as described. e22. In combination with a car underframe including center sills,transverse sills, and buffer beam of longitudinal reinforcing wefbmembers secured to the inner faces of the center sills and having alongtheir lower portion inwardly projecting gear supporting flanges, and abufllng gear housed in the space between the said web members above thesupporting flanges, substantially as described. I i

23. In combination with'acar underframe including center sills,transverse sills, and buffer beam, of longitudinal reinforcing webmembers secured to the inner faces of the center sills and having alongtheir lower portion inwardly projecting gear supporting flanges, andalong their upper portion inwardly projecting gear retaining flanges,and a bufling gear housed within the space between the said members andbetween the upper and lower flanges, substantially as described.

24. In combination with a car underframe including center sills,transverse sills, and louder beam, of longitudinal reinforcing webmembers secured to the inner faces of the center sills and having alongtheir lower portion inwardly projecting gear supporting flanges, alongtheir medial portion inwardly projecting gear guiding ribs, and alongtheir upper portion inwardly projecting gear retaining flanges, and abuffing gear housed within the space between the said members andbetween the flanges and ribs thereof, substantially as described.

25. In combination with a car underframe including center sills,transverse sills, and bufler beam, of longitudinal reinforcing Webmembers secured to the inner faces of the center sills and having alongtheir lower portion inwardly rojecting gear supporting flanges, and aong their upper portion inwardly projecting gear retaining flanges, abufiing gear housed within the space between the said members andbetween the upper and lower flanges, apair of brackets secured to theouter faces of the center sills at the rear of and substantially in thehorizontal plane of the buffer beam, a buffer, a center stem connectingthe buffer and gear,

and said stems connected with the buffer and guided for longitudinalmovement in alined apertures of the beams and brackets, substantially asdescribed.

ARTHUR C. DAVIDSON.

Witnesses:

MARY C. Bnownn, L. E. HANNEN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G."

